Tomorrow Torquay United visit the Kasstad for United’s first home game of the season, and a chance for the Oxford fans to have a first glance at Brian Talbot’s new-look side. Following the decent draw achieved at Grimsby on Saturday, Talbot is unlikely to change the starting eleven, assuming that no new injury worries have surfaced. This would mean a start in goal for Billy Turley, with last season’s player-of-the-season Chris Tardif having to make do with a place on the bench again, while Steve Basham and Lee Bradbury will start up front, despite the worrying lack of pace and goals this partnership brings.

United will again be looking to the pace of Chris Hackett and the power of Chris Hargreaves to worry the Gulls, who themselves drew 0-0 at home to Notts County on the opening day. Ben Weedon will most likely be on the bench again, waiting for his chance to break the youngest-ever player for United record, and Jude Stirling will be waiting for his United debut. The good news for some home supporters is that the South Stand Upper should now be clear of pigeon shit. The equally good news is that the same denizens won’t have to put up with the pre-match music as the tannoy system is apparently temporarily out-of-order in the SSU.

Torquay are so concerned about United’s defence that they brought a new striker from France, Carl Priso, but sadly his international clearance has yet to come through after he moved to England from Germany. Torquay will doubtless find another way past the colossus that is the Willmott/Ashton partnership, and accordingly Rage Online is playing it safe by predicting a 1-1 draw (well, it worked for us at the weekend).

In tonight’s games, Bristol Rovers humorously lost 2-1 at home to Grimsby, despite being 1-0 up with 15 minutes to go. Promotion favourites Northampton also lost 2-1 at home, to league newbies Barnet, while Oxford’s next opponents, Wycombe, also managed a 2-1 away win, although Mr Mooney wasn’t on the scoresheet this time. Cheltenham must have thought the points were in the bag when they went 2-0 up at Macclesfield with seven minutes left, but Brian Horton’s team struck back with two goals in two minutes to earn a point. Mark Wright’s poor start contined as Peterborough lost 1-0 at Carlisle, while Denis Smith’s boys are looking frail at this early stage as they lost 1-0 at Notts County. Orient won 2-1 at Bury, Darlo beat Stockport 2-0, and Rushden won 1-0 at Mansfield.